gun for his own protection. he continued to search your the bed and found another weapon. a semi-automatic loaded pistol just a few feet from the scene of the bike. in this situation, i believe the courage and fortitude the sergeant manning displayed here not only save his life, the lead of his partners, and the life of the three-month old child on the bed, and for that he is being awarded the bronze medal of valor. [applause]

>> sergeant orkes will read the citation.

>> good evening. please allow me to introduce three members of the san francisco police department that i am proud to call heroes. sgt josh espinoza, officer ha, and officer solorzano. december 31, this batch had a call that a vehicle was on fire at 1645 folsom street and indicated -- they did not indicate if anyone was in the car or not. sgt espinoza was the first unit on the scene. he arrived on the scene, did a quick survey and then notified dispatch of what was going on. while surveying the scene, he realized an individual was trapped in the driver's seat in the car was engulfed in flames. fully knowing the danger that was in front of him, he did not

hesitate. he immediately ran to the car and began to attempt to remove the individual from the burning vehicle. once he reached the vehicle, he realized the person was unconscious and still strapped in his car. at this point the flames began to blow over the windshield. the fire department was still not on scene. even though the heat was intense and possibility of the gas tank could explode at any time, sergeant espinoza did not retreat. at this time, officer ha and solorzana arrived on scene. they were amazed at what they saw. they saw him trying to break a window of the car. they knew the danger and immediately ran to the car to

assist. the individual in the car was making no attempt to exit the vehicle. he was not moving. the heat in the vehicle intensified. at this time sergeant espinoza was able to break the window, and unbeknownst to him the door was damage due to the collision. as he tried to open the door, the door would not open. officer ran to the other side, was able to get the door open, but realized the person was trapped in the seat belt and was not working. he used his knife to reach into the car and cut it. the heat was so hot his face was burning. it scorched his face and hair. he did not retreat. he went into the vehicle and remove the individual from the vehicle. as soon as they got away to safety, the vehicle exploded. the fire department is still not on scene.

before they arrived there was a taxicab driver who had attempted to break the window and he was unable to and it got so hot that he retreated. these men did not retreat. they did not hesitate. they did not think about running. to this day, this person is able to wake up in the morning and look at his family. for that break, you are being given the silver medal of valor. [applause]

capt. eric vintero and officers heppler and carrasco. >> good evening.

i would like to introduce officer troy carrasco and william elppler, october 3, 2011, police dispatch put out a call of the stabbing that had just occurred. several richmond units began responding to the scene. officer robert long are right first in salt a suspect standing in front of 16th avenue. he saw he was holding his right hand in was dripping with blood. he also observed there was blood all of the sidewalk in front of the victim's house. he rendered first aid and so stayed with the victim. officers chased of fillmore, kevin i sent and sergeant mary gray responded to the scene as

back of units. elderly male victim told responded officers that his son had stabbed him, and that he was somewhere inside of the house at 636 funston avenue. he said his son was suffering from mental issues. officers quickly determined there were other family members inside the house with the suspect. officers knew there could be for their victims of they did not act immediately. officer fillmore and sergeant grey enter the residence and started walking up the stairs while announcing san francisco police department. officers could see the carpeted stairs and walls inside the house were covered in blood. at the top of the stairs was always there ran perpendicular to the stairs. there was still no signs of the suspect or family members. officers made the decision they would have to clear the upstairs

room by room. officer i. singh and hernandez went to the right. -- esein. as officer carrasco and heppler went left and saw a body lying prone at the end of the hallway. they saw the body was drenched in blood, and the victim was still breathing. based on his prior experience as a paramedic, officer carrasco knew they needed to be rescued immediately if there was to be any chance of the person surviving. officer carrasco told heppler i will pull her out. with complete disregard for his own safety, he ground the bleeding person by the feet and began to drag her to safety. it was later determined that the

stick them was the suspect 73- year-old mother who had been stabbed through the neck. he pulled the woman passed officer heppler and a door opens at the end of the hallway. it was later determined to be the suspect's sister and ran hysterically across the hallway. at this time, officer heppler repeated san francisco police department, come out. hearing the commotion from the other side of the hallway, officer heisen and hernandez were standing. suddenly, from a door on the left side of the hallway, the suspect appeared holding a large knife in each hand. both arms were raised above his head as he pulled it down the hallway towards officers. officer eisen shot the beanbag.

in an attempt to put distance between the suspect and himself, he started backing up all shouting, put it down. the suspect refused to obey the commands and quickly continue towards officer heppler with knives in each hand. the only option he had to stop the threat to him and fellow officers was to use the fire arm. officer heppler shot the suspect and save himself, the other officers, and undoubtably the suspect's sister from being stabbed. for these actions they are being awarded the silver medal of valor. congratulations. [applause] > captain feeney, and lt. mak

solomon, ryan, lieu and reyes.

>> good evening. as commanding officer of park station i was looking forward to sharing with you the outstanding office actions of these officer. however, i will stand down for officer solomon. i would be remiss if i did not mention and acknowledge that this is the last medal of valor award ceremony that mark will attend as an active member of the standards as the police department. mark is retiring next friday after a 32-year career. at present mark solomon. [applause] >> please, it is not about me.

it is about them. thank you. thank you. it is my distinct honor to stand before you and speak on behalf of these fine officers, sergeant scott ryan, a albertalbert lieu and reyes. tuesday, june 7, 2011, the fbi contacted the san francisco police department robbery abatement team providing them with specific information about two incidents that occurred in irvine, california. an armed white male suspects driving a gray bmw had committed to armed bank robberies. the suspect had already proven himself dangerous and desperate when he attempted to run down responding deputy sheriffs in order to effectively escape from

one of the bank robberies. using the gps, the getaway car was located in our city at one of this the park. -- beuna vista park. the suspects gray bmw was found precisely with gps. the car was legally parked and unattended. the robbery abatement team maintain surveillance of the -- of the vehicle for hours, but no signs of activity. park station please -- plain clothes officer under the direction of sergeant scott ryan and robert lieu adnd reyes observed. they noticed until lights were on and the sun roof was opened. officer lew quickly executed a

u-turn and confirmed it was occupied by the suspect. officers immediately got out of the car, drew their weapons and began giving verbal commands. they identified themselves, told a suspect he was under arrest and ordered them to surrender. the officers instinctively trying to related on the vehicle. officer ray is move to position your their rear passenger side of the suspect's car. officer lew move to their rear of the driver's side of the vehicle parked to the left -- officer lieu. they recognize the suspects flight reaction, but officers continue to give firm, clear, commands. the suspect abruptly threw his car into reverse, accelerating

rapidly from his parking space. as he reversed rapidly, the suspect smashed into the vehicle, flanking the driver's side of the bmw with sufficient force to drive that car towards officer and into the car parked next to it. he had to jump up on the back of the car that was knocked out towards him in order to avoid being pinched between the vehicles. the suspect recklessly with the vehicle back in nearly missed the police car and start right in. the reversing past now placed officer reyes and in harm's way. officers were fearful for their lives and the lives of other officers with them, having observed the callous disregard that was already demonstrated by this desperate fugitive. he subsequently moved to the front of the b&w to avoid the rear car swing coming towards

him. as reyes and other officers scrambled out of the past of the vehicle, the driver surge forward aggressively. officers retreat have forced them into a disadvantageous position. officers were encircling the position with the middle of the passenger side to the front driver side and lieu was ahead of the bmw. he served the bmw as a battering ram. he smashed into the police car, striking it with such force that the front passenger door folded forward. ryan and lieu were now vulnerable to the militias operator. they saw him directly ahead of him as it was careening for work. he was fearful they were in imminent danger of serious bodily injury or death. however, with the suspect

vehicle bearing down on partners, he was unable to fire, because their adjusted positions put them downrange and directly into line of fire. officer reyes showed exceptional discipline and composure by recognizing this. they faced it and it danger. both officers feared for their lives. and the lives of their partners. despite this fear, the officers recognized the substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury that the escapee posed not only to them, but all other law enforcement officers he might later encounter, let alone the public at large should discontinue. in a split second of the bmw approach, they moved tactically to create safe angles of fire.

having exhausted all of a reasonable means of apprehension, they fired several rounds of the driver, and as a result, the suspect was struck, in capacitive -- incapacitated and taken into custody. at the conclusion of the encounter, sir john ryan and officer lieu maintain security on the screen -- on the scene until additional officers arrived to assist. an ambulance was immediately summoned. the suspect was transported to san francisco general hospital and later succumbed to his gunshot wounds. in the bank robbery suspect in this incident displayed an outrageous lack of concern for life, public safety, and property for what the course of the criminal rampage that began in irvine, california. he used a firearm to rob to banks in southern california, of threatening to shoot the tellers if they did not comply. gave no consideration to anyone

who got in the way of his criminal ambition or effort to escape. as a direct result of his disregard for anyone who might come in to counter with his criminal endeavors, and as well as san francisco police officer lives were jeopardized. the suspect complete disregard for the public put a great risk any person who might inadvertently cross his path, should he escape from the park. searchers got ryan, rubin reyes recognize the danger. even when faced with serious bodily injury or death, these officers remain steadfast and determined to protect not only themselves and one another, but the public at large from the disregard of the fleeing fugitive. sir john ryan, officer lou andrelieu and reyes , when confd

with a violent situation, they responded with no were the bravery and poise. they were fully responsible to the danger, but to the rapidly- devolving life-threatening circumstances that unfolded as a result of them trying to apprehend him. based upon this information, i have no choice but to put the men for a medal of valor. to " c.s. lewis, coverage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue of the testing point, something these officers were tested with. to our command staff, ladies and gentlemen, i present to you the recipients of the silver medal of valor, sergeant scott ryan,

and officer reuben reyes. [applause] offic>> we are at the part of te

ceremony now where we will present the gold medal of valor, the highest award given from the sentences go police department. tonight we have six, an unprecedented number. i would like captain ann mannix, and officer minkel, everson, griffin and tursi. >> can we do this separately? there are two separate incidents. but go in your order. -- >> let's go in your order. >> tonight it is my honor to present to you the heroic acts

of officer joseph everson and officer minkel. wednesday, october 13, 2011, there were patrolling together as the violent reduction unit they have been assigned in uniform and driving a large unit. they were driving along pulled street when they ran the license plate of a car in front of them. the registration sticker display showed 2012, indicating car registration. their onboard computer results showing the registration expired in 2009. noting the discrepancy, the officer decided to pull the car over to investigate. as they activated the licensed siren, the car turned east and exhilarated at a higher rate of speed. suddenly the car with the driver in the front passenger pulled over just west of oregon, appearing to heat for the traffic stop. -- to he'd for the traffic stop.

just as they were exiting the car for the traffic stop, the driver of the stopped vehicle abruptly took off running. he ran east along bush street and turned south on larkin street, running in the middle of traffic. not knowing what they had, the officers a housimmediately gaind chase on foot. officers minkel and everson are gaining on a suspect when suddenly he turned and fired multiple shots from a handgun he had hidden in his possession. the officers debated around by movement in her incubating on this subject. at great risk to their own lives, these officers continue their pursuit of the now known

violent subject and prepared to return fire. officer everson exercise a considerable amount of restraint as there were numerous pedestrians. he did not in gauge the suspect. officer minkel had a clear range of fire and engaged in two rounds of fire. fearing for his partner's it did, he ordered the loan front passenger tuesday and the suspect vehicle and ran to assist. not knowing what to expect when he rounded the corner, he continued toward the danger, and ultimately ended up providing cover as officers moved into reductioa safe area. the suspect had a mind set he was not going back to prison, as he was a bird strike ended it with a long history of incarceration.

even stated to the passenger he was not going to be caught. 32 caliber handgun he fired until empty of the officers had been stolen in a san francisco burglary a week prior in currently wanted on two outstanding felony warrants, including a burglary warrant from the south bay were 20 tons were stolen. these officers made a traffic stop that turned into a life verses death situation. the fact that the suspect ran from the car and officers gave chase, not knowing what they had was not necessarily braid, it was their job. to continue the pursuit of the suspect showed an act of bravery and courage beyond active -- call of duty. they continue the pursuit of a deadly violent offender. they weighed the risks to their lives and others as they continue to move and ultimately engage the suspect in the battle. officer ever send could have fired upon the moving suspect it

chose not to risk the collateral damage. officer minkel, having a clear window of virus, precisely return to rounds, neutralizing that threat to them and the public in general. based on the actions of these officers on that fateful day, officer thomas minkel and everson will be awarded the gold medal of valor, the highest department medal of honor. [applause]